Mary Elizabeth Cooper-Fons

After World War II ended, the family returned to Texas—first Amarillo, then Fort Worth Haltom City, and finally Austin. Mary Beth attended the University of Texas at Austin majoring in geology and earning B.S. and M.S. degrees. She met and married Richard Waitt, a fellow student. After graduation, they moved to Seattle where Dick pursued a PhD. Unable to find a job in geology or at the university, Mary Beth used her math background to become a nuclear medicine technician operating a pioneering CT scanner. The marriage to Dick ended in divorce after, but Mary Beth chose not to go back to Texas heat and continued to work at the hospital.

The oil industry had resisted hiring women into professional positions. That to change, so Mary Beth applied for a position with Pennzoil in Houston, Texas and became their first female geologist. She did not enjoy the experience, neither the climate or the work environment. After one year, a friend from UT days, called to tell her that there were opportunities in Colorado, and soon she was working for Chevron in Denver, where she joined a group of women geologists they called the “Good Ol’ Girls.”

Mary Beth attended a professional conference in Miami where she met a man named Ted Fons, who was state geologist for Alaska. The chance meeting opened the happiest chapter in her life. They both soon tired of the very long-distance courtship, so Ted moved to Denver. On a walk they chanced upon a beautiful Victorian house for sale. She loved it so they made the big leap and it and soon celebrated their wedding in the new home.

Both grew tired of working for “big oil.” They learned that a Canadian oil company had developed a new computer program for analyzing seismic data to identify favorable sites for drilling. At the time, many companies still used paper read-outs and colored pencils to interpret the data. The Canadian company wanted to expand into the U.S. Ted and Mary Beth formed Excalibur Geophysical, and she drafted a contract giving Excalibur marketing rights for the U.S. Ted understood the software and was able to explain it, sell it, and provide training. Mary Beth ran the business side. Later, they sold the business to their employees. Ted became a potter. As a teenager, Mary Beth had wanted to be a nurse. At age 50, aided by her science background, she completed nursing school and passed the licensing exam in one year. Her favorite activity though was gardening and developed an eye-catching garden on their large lot.

Mary Beth’s life changed when Ted was diagnosed with GIST (Gastro Intestinal Stroma Tumor), a cruel disease which had no known cure. Mary Beth tended to his needs every day until he died in their home.

She realized that her beloved Victorian was more than she could handle on her own. She saw an ad for a new residential cooperative for active seniors. As one of the early applicants, she was able to select a unit that looked out over the front range of the Rockies.

Ever the scientist, she became concerned when she began getting lost driving to familiar places and arranged to be tested. The diagnosis was mild cognitive impairment, which progressed to moderate. It became decision time. She sold her Co-op share, her family packed up her belongings and, said goodbye to her beloved Colorado and moved into assisted living in Austin, where her family, best friend Susan, and staff at Parmer Woods tended to her needs. Even as her disease progressed, Mary Beth kept Ted in her heart until death took her home. Memorials will be private.

Surviving Mary Beth are her sisters Margaret Anne Cooper and Martha Cooper Dolman, both of Austin; niece Rachel Dolman of Pflugerville, Texas and Richard Dolman of Mustang, Oklahoma; Surviving Mary Beth are her sisters Margaret Anne Cooper and Martha Cooper Dolman, both of Austin; niece Rachel Dolman of Pflugerville, Texas and Richard Dolman of Mustang, Oklahoma; the Fons Family, Michael, Alexandra of Aurora, CO, Eric and Zoe of MD; many Denver friends: Blake and Vernita Cannon, the “Good Ol’ Girls”, Children’s Hospital friends, the Berg family, Paula, Becky, Beth and Ann; Deb and Mike Greco, and friends at the Co-op.